Expeditie NEXT: sun, sea research and loads of curious kids!
The RV Wim Wolff in the harbour of Enkhuizen, for science festival Expeditie NEXT in May 2026 (photo: NIOZ)
From ‘Benthic Bingo’ to building a living dyke with lego: on Friday 1 May children discovered the world of marine research within NIOZ, during science festival Expeditie NEXT. A team of enthusiastic NIOZ staff had travelled to Enkhuizen on the RV Wim Wolff, where this year’s sold-out event took place.
Both on board and on the quay, children and their parents were able to learn more about the research carried out by NIOZ through various activities. For example, in the ‘Expedition Migratory Bird’ game, children stepped into the shoes of a red knot. They first had to collect enough shells in the Wadden Sea before flying to the breeding grounds in the far north, whilst avoiding the dangerous peregrine falcon along the way. At the mobile Lego cart, there was plenty of building and wave-making, during which children saw that vegetation outside the dyke means you can stay dry behind a lower dyke.
puzzling over plankton images: is this a plant or an animal? (photo: NIOZ)
On the aft deck of the RV Wim Wolff stood a large ‘sieving table’, filled with sand and all kinds of bottom-dwelling creatures. Using a Benthos Bingo card and a sieve, children could search for what lives in the seabed of the Wadden Sea. In the wet lab on board, microscopes were set up to view plankton, and everyone was busy puzzling with beautiful macro photos of plankton. And of course, visitors were also allowed to take a look at the ship’s bridge – which was a highlight for many parents and residents of Enkhuizen too!
With a total of over 700 parents and children who came on board or participated in one of our activities, it was a very successful day!